Vauxhall Meriva review

The first-generation Vauxhall Meriva was introduced in 2003 and, at a touch over four metres in length, it rivalled a relatively limited number of small MPVs. It did rather well, too, selling more than a million units, thanks to novel features like its Flexspace rear seating system, in which the rear chairs slide inwards and backwards.

Few manufacturers currently offering doors which hinge backwards independently of the fronts. The arrangement has added a certain intrigue to a car that, for all its virtues, has in the past been perceived as steady but unremarkable.